Silicon Showdown: Intel Rejects TSMC's Lawsuit Over Executive Accused of Leaking Nano-Chip Secrets

The semiconductor sector is currently embroiled in a high-profile corporate and legal dispute triggered by the movement of a senior executive. On Thursday, Intel, the U.S. chipmaker, firmly rejected accusations from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) that one of Intel’s recent hires, Wei-Jen Lo, shared confidential business information after leaving the Taiwanese company. The denial came two days after TSMC filed a complaint in Taiwan’s Intellectual Property and Commercial Court, alleging that Lo—its former senior vice president—may have transferred or disclosed valuable trade secrets to his new employer and that legal intervention was therefore necessary.

The case carries added weight because Lo previously oversaw large-scale production of TSMC’s leading-edge process technologies, including its 5-nanometer, 3-nanometer, and upcoming 2-nanometer manufacturing nodes. He joined Intel in October after more than twenty years at TSMC, which followed an earlier period of nearly two decades working for Intel before he moved to Taiwan in 2004.

In a written statement, Intel dismissed the allegations, saying it has no indication that Lo engaged in any improper behavior. The company emphasized that it enforces strict internal rules prohibiting employees from bringing in or making use of proprietary information belonging to other organizations. Intel also described Lo as a well-regarded industry veteran and characterized the hiring of experienced personnel from competitors as a routine aspect of the technology business. Lo has not issued any public comments about the case.

Government authorities in Taiwan have also taken notice. The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced that it will evaluate whether the situation involves sensitive technologies or potential violations of the National Security Act. Financial markets reacted soon after news of the lawsuit became public: TSMC’s shares fell by more than three percent, while Intel’s stock saw a smaller decline of under two percent during mid-morning trading.